Abidjan-Berlin axis: More than 950 billion FCFA in trade and a desire to move into industry
In 2025, trade between Ivory Coast and Germany will reach 950 billion FCFA. The balance is favorable to Abidjan with more than 670 billion in exports against 280 billion in imports. Ivory Coast mainly sells raw materials and purchases manufactured goods.
The Abidjan Economic Forum called for a move from trading in raw materials to an industrial partnership. The targeted sectors are agro-industry, infrastructure, energy, technology and logistics. 950 billion FCFA in trade between Ivory Coast and Germany in 2025. How to transform this commercial momentum into a real industrial partnership? This is the whole point of the Ivory Coast-Germany Economic Forum, which was held in Abidjan.
The trade balance which leans clearly towards the Ivorian side
Trade between the two countries reached 950 billion FCFA last year, or around 1.68 billion dollars. A considerable amount, but which hides a contrasting reality. The trade balance is largely favorable to Abidjan. Ivorian exports to the German market represented nearly 670 billion FCFA, compared to 280 billion FCFA in imports. What is Ivory Coast selling to Germany? Cocoa, rubber, cashews, mangoes. Raw or minimally processed products. In the other direction, the country purchases machinery, equipment, vehicles, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and other manufactured goods. According to the classic scheme, we export the raw material, we import the finished product. And this is precisely what the Ivorian authorities want to change.
“Moving from a commodity trade to an industrial partnership”
The president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Côte d'Ivoire, Faman Touré, did not mince his words. “This observation imposes a common challenge on us. That of moving from a trade in raw materials to an industrial partnership focused on local processing, skills transfer and technological diversification,” he declared in front of an audience of economic operators. It is no longer enough to sell raw cocoa. We must transform it on site, create added value, retain part of the wealth which is now escaping the country. A laudable ambition which will have to deal with the lack of industrial infrastructure, the weakness of the local SME network and competition from Asian giants.
Berlin called to invest more
The Ivory Coast ambassador to Germany, Abdallah Azize Diabaté, appealed to German investors. He wants an increased presence in the country, particularly in high value-added sectors. He also insisted on the expected contribution in terms of technologies and skills. Because the transfer of know-how is undoubtedly the most crucial issue of this partnership. Without trained technicians, without local engineers, without capacity for innovation, transformation will remain wishful thinking.
On the German side, Lukas Schneider, representing Ambassador Matthias Veltin, focused on bringing together SMEs from the two countries. A pragmatic approach: it is not large groups that will bring about local transformation, but rather small and medium-sized businesses, capable of adapting quickly and creating jobs. He also mentioned the circulation of technical know-how, a sensitive point in North-South negotiations.
Which sectors for tomorrow?
Several areas have been identified as being able to accommodate new joint projects. Agribusiness comes first, obviously. But also manufacturing industry, infrastructure, energy, water and sanitation, technologies, logistics and services. So many projects which could, in the long term, modify the structure of trade between the two countries.
The challenge is to complement an already important commercial relationship with more industrial projects carried out in Ivory Coast. Particularly in the processing of products currently exported with limited added value. Cocoa, for example, represents a windfall that is still largely under-exploited. The country is the world's leading producer of beans, but only processes a tiny fraction of its production. The same goes for rubber or cashew nuts.
